17 Smart Cleaning Tricks Our Readers Actually Tried And Loved

Tried and tested!

Zoë Burnett / BuzzFeed

We asked the BuzzFeed Community for the smartest and most useful cleaning tricks they'd ever tried. Here are some of their best tips!

1. Start cleaning at the "top" of your room, and work your way down to avoid making a mess of something you've already cleaned.

Columbia Pictures

Start at the top, work your way down. Don't vacuum and then dust. Don't mop the bathroom and then clean the tub and toilet. Simple, but it amazes me how many of my friends don't know this.

—mykynzy

2. Scrub those stuck-on dead bugs on the front of your car with a wet dryer sheet, and they'll come off in no time.

solotravelgirl.com

Wet dryer sheet to wash the bugs off of the front of your car and windshield. Works like a champ every time.

—samb435488fb5

Use a wet dryer sheet to scrub the bugs off of your car! Trust me.

—savannahmorgana

Read more here.

3. And wipe down your baseboards with dryer sheets to help 'em repel dust and pet hair.

flickr: sitkaprojects / amazon.com

Dryer sheets on the baseboards! They repel dust and pet hair.

—kimh4b43df207

4. AND use another dryer sheet to brush away those annoying deodorant stains.

thekrazycouponlady.com

Use a dryer sheet to remove deodorant stains or to smooth out frizzy hair.

—caitiem498d3f12b

From here.

5. Line the tops of your kitchen cabinets with paper towels or wax paper to catch all the greasy dust.

Nancy Andrews / thisoldhouse.com

Put paper towels down on the tops of your kitchen cabinets ESPECIALLY if you live in an apartment. This is one area basically everyone forgets to clean and it can be a bitch. But if you put down paper towels, they'll catch all the dust and cleanup's easy.

—Ashley Steidl, Facebook

6. Scrub those impossible burnt bits off your pots and pans using water, cream of tartar, your stove, and some elbow grease.

Caroline Miller / Nifty / BuzzFeed

If you have pots or pans with burnt bits, add water and cream of tartar or baking soda to the pot/pan and bring to a boil. Let it set for a couple of minutes and then use a good scrubber—the burnt bits should come off.

—mccaitlin

Read more here.

7. Or enlist (yup) a dryer sheet to help you scrub out the stuck food bits.

youtube.com

If you ever get rice/pasta stuck on the bottom of a pan, you can use a dryer sheet to scrub it off!

—kyl0r3n

I had burned some food on an iron pan. I filled the pan up half way with water and added soap and a dryer sheet. After two hours the pan was 100% clean—all I had to do was rinse it out.

—marielc485c9f157

According to this video, you might have to soak the pan with water, dish soap, and a dryer sheet. Then you can use the dryer sheet to wipe the gunk right out. And be sure to thoroughly wash your pan with *just* dish soap after, to remove any dryer sheet residue.

8. Ditch persistent water spots in your shower by spritzing 'em with extra-strength cleaning vinegar.

@mrs._mckenzie / instagram.com

I’ve had water spots on my shower door for years that I just could not get off. I tried CLR, squeegees, the works. I finally decided to try cleaning vinegar and the squeegee, and it was magic. The water spots were gone after letting the vinegar sit for 10 minutes, and my shower door has never been cleaner!

—juliaannc2

9. Microwave a lemon and water, and you'll never have to scrub at the inside of your microwave again.

Natalie Brown / BuzzFeed

Take lemon, cut it in half and squeeze it into a bowl of water. Put the bowl and the lemon halves into the microwave and microwave for about 3 minutes. It's a super safe way to clean the inside of your microwave with out using any chemicals!

—danielles4445db840

Whether you stick with the 3 minutes recommended here, or go for 5 minutes + let it steam for 5 minutes (like I do here), you'll have a much easier time simply wiping out the grime.

10. Drop denture tabs in your toilet, and let 'em do the work for you — especially if hard water has you constantly battling a scaly ring.

Ashley Poskin / apartmenttherapy.com

Denture cleaning tablets are cheap and they're amazing for cleaning the toilet. I drop in 3-5 tabs once a week, do a quick scrub with a brush, and it’s effortlessly clean.

—meganf21

Read more here.

11. Wipe pet hair off of your furniture using a regular old rubber glove.

Hilary Mitchell / BuzzFeed

To remove per hair from furniture just wipe it down while wearing a rubber glove — comes right off.

—spellflinger

Read more here.

12. Mix vegetable oil and baking soda in a 1:2 ratio to make a paste that can tackle almost any built-up residue.

onegoodthingbyjillee.com

Mixing vegetable oil and baking soda (1p oil per 2p soda) to get rid of built up residue. It takes a job that would take ages of hard scrubbing and turns it into a simple wipe down. You would need to rub it in the first go, but after that it's easy. And if you get the mixture right it doesn't leave anything oily.

—n460167f62

You can also use coconut oil — learn more here.

13. And remove scuffs, hard water stains, and other stains using a paste of baking soda and shaving cream.

amazon.com / amazon.com

Mix cheap shaving cream and baking soda into a paste to remove scuff marks, ink, hard water, and just about anything from your walls and floors.

—daunejaimesd

Test the paste in an inconspicuous area first, to make sure it won't damage the paint or finish on the surface you're cleaning.

14. Vacuum up a few whole cloves to make your vacuum cleaner smell like warm spices.

ABC

If you have an older vacuum that stinks up the house when you run it, suck up some bits of whole clove in the vacuum to make it smell nice again.

—cayleslie

You can also stick a few cloves (or other whole spices, like cinnamon) in a new vacuum bag the next time you change it out.

15. Coffee filters (and newspaper) will get your windows and mirrors sparkling clean — without leaving behind streaks or fuzzies.

instructables.com

Using coffee filters with Windex to clean glass and mirrors. The filters help to not leave streaks or fibers behind.

—aprilh4c41b3249

Read more here.

16. Most dusty lampshades are no match for a lint roller. But if you have a pleated shade, grab a clean paint brush.

creeklinehouse.com, Tisha Kunz / pinterest.com

Use a paint brush to dust lampshades.

—courtneyc47a016790

From here and here.

17. Spread a wet paper towel over your countertop grill as it cools down to keep any crusty bits from sticking.

kiwiservices.com

Putting a wet paper towel on a George Foreman grill as it cools down makes cleaning it a breeze.

—tessa3838

You'll want it turned off and probably unplugged first, of course! Read more here.

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